Smile Like You Mean It
by Table for Two
Summary: "Looking back at sunsets on the East Side. We lost track of time. Dreams aren't what they used to be. Some things sat by so carelessly. So smile like you mean it." How long does it take for you to stop being so blind? AU. High School-fic.


**Well, cool cats. It's that time again where I try to start up a nifty little story that you may enjoy. I haven't written anything in a while and for some reason I was thinking today while I was out and about with my pal that I'd like to write a story about this pairing. You know the drill- no like; no read. Simple as that. Critique is welcome. It helps me improve. Oh, also, this starts with a type of prologue if you will, but then takes place before Sasuke's family – aside from Itachi – were killed. That **_**will**_** come into play in this story, just not yet. Alright? Alright.**

**Disclaimer:**** I own none of the Naruto characters.**

* * *

_ "Sasuke…Uchiha…?"_

_ "Yeah! He's just moved back! Isn't it great?"_

_ "I can't believe it…"  
"I know! And he looks better than ever! I mean, he's always been- Naruto? Where are you going?"_

_ But I wasn't listening anymore. The teme was back? Was he at school? I just couldn't believe it! After all this time! _

_ "'M sorry, Sakura-chan, but I gotta go!"_

_ Next thing I knew, I was running down the hall as fast as I could. I'm not too sure I even knew where I was running, y'know? I just was. It was hard maneuvering through all the other students and teachers alike crowding the hallways. _

_ "Hey, Naruto! Where's the fire?" Kiba was leaning against a row of lockers with Shikamaru, Chouji, and Shino. They watched with curious expressions as I ran past them. I didn't bother to give an answer, and it turns out I didn't have to as Shino offered up a response in place of mine. "He's in a hurry. Why? Because Sasuke Uchiha has returned." Chouji and Kiba jolted upright with wide eyes. _

_ "What!" Chouji put his chip bag down in astonishment. _

_ "No way! You can't be serious!" Kiba ran his hand through his hair and slumped back against the lockers. "Damn. Now all the girls are going to be pawing after him again." _

_ Shikamaru slouched next to his friend and scratched the back of his head. "Ino's going to go berserk once she finds out… Man, what a drag." I couldn't help but smile a bit at the sound of their antics carrying down the hall. It definitely wasn't surprising though. None of them had ever really gotten along with him, let alone liked him. Hell, I didn't even get along with him! _

_ I continued down the stretch of tile flooring while glancing into each classroom I passed in hope of seeing him. Even just a glimpse. Unfortunately I had no such luck._

_ "Come on… where the hell are you!" I muttered as I rounded the corner without slowing down. _

_ I hadn't seen him in years, and suddenly he was back? What made him come home? Has he changed? I was so happy! Yet… so mad and so frustrated! It's about damn time he brought his arrogant ass home! After all these years! I wonder if he was still mad at me… ah hell, I don't care. He was back! Sasuke Uchiha was-!_

_ I crashed into another body at full force sending us both tumbling to the ground with an explosion of papers in a flurry of white. I tried to jump up as quickly as possible, but I was disoriented. I made it about a foot off the ground before falling back down. In my enthusiastic and incoherent state I began rambling like mad while still trying to get back up._

_ "S-sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, I know! I'm just in a hurry and- oh, man, let me help you with your papers! I'm _so_ sorry, really, I-"_

_ "Naruto." I froze at that voice. The way he said my name made me suddenly nervous and unsure of what to do. I slowly raised my eyes from the enrollment paperwork scattered across the floor to stare at a pair of dark black eyes. Shit. Say something you idiot! _

_ "Sas…uke…?" I mentally slapped myself. Well, at least it wasn't cliché. _

_ He stared at me blankly, gathered his papers off of the floor, and stood up quickly and effortlessly. For some reason, that _still_ pissed me off! The way he could move so flawlessly was so damn irritating!_

_ "Hn. Still as idiotic as ever… dobe." Something flashed across my mind, and all the frustration, anger, hurt, more anger, and confusion flared inside me like a wild fire. Before I could even register that arrogant ever-growing smirk on his face, I had jumped to my feet and pulled my fist back._

_ "Teme!" My arm snapped forward, sending my knuckles right into that damn smirk._

* * *

** -7 years prior-**

* * *

"Naruto, can't you at least _try _to get along with all your other classmates…?"

"Nope." Naruto chirped and went back to trying to catch the frog hopping around in the grass. Iruka sighed and dragged a hand down his face in exasperation. He was starting to lose patience with the blonde little troublemaker.

"And why not?" Iruka crouched down next to the boy as he pounced and captured the ugly frog between his body and the ground.

"'Cause they're all stupid." He sat up with the frog cradled tightly in his hands. Naruto beamed down at the little thing then back up to Iruka. He raised the amphibian in his small hands and grinned. "Hey, Iruka, can we keep him? I swear I'll be a good owner! I promise! I'll clean his tank and share my ramen with him and everything!"

The man sighed, but couldn't stop the smile that placed itself upon his lips. "I don't think frogs like ramen, Naruto."

"Sure they do! Who doesn't like ramen? It's the best!" Iruka scratched at his cheek as he peered down at the frog.

"I'm not so sure keeping him is the greatest idea…" Naruto pouted for a moment, but then scooted closer to his guardian.

"_Please, _Iruka?" The blonde grinned and held up the frog right below his chin. "_Please?_" Iruka sighed again and gave a little chuckle.

"Alright. But, only on one condition." Naruto's face lit up and he jumped up off the ground.

"Anything!" He gave the frog a little pat and looked back at Iruka excitedly.  
"You can keep the frog, as long as you try to be nicer to your classmates, okay? That means no more fights, no more crayons or markers being thrown across the room, and no more smart-mouthing."

"But, Iruka-!" The blonde boy started.

"No 'buts' Naruto. Are we understood?" He ruffled the blonde head of hair in front of him.

Naruto frowned a bit, but nonetheless nodded and ran into the house.

"Got it! Hey, do frogs like flies in their ramen?" Iruka stood up slowly and rubbed the back of his head. "Such a hyperactive little thing. It's no wonder he's always in trouble at school." He smiled and followed the ball of energy into their house only to be greeted with a frog jumping all over his kitchen counters knocking over several plates and glasses.

"NARUTO!"

"I DIDN'T DO IT!"

* * *

"Hey, Itachi, can you teach me that game again?" Sasuke ran up to his older brother who was currently carrying a rather large box labeled 'Family Heirlooms' in permanent marker. Itachi looked over the edge of the cardboard box down at his little brother. He gave a small smile at the younger Uchiha.

"Not right now, nii-chan. We still have a lot of unpacking to do." The eldest sibling put the box down on the ground and kneeled next to his brother. "Which _you _should be helping with, lazy bum." Itachi's smile grew a bit as he tapped his fore and middle finger against the younger's forehead. Sasuke huffed a little at this and pushed his brother's hand away.

"I _have _been helping!"

Itachi 'hmphed' at this and stood back up. "Running around and deciding which room will be yours doesn't count as _helping_." Sasuke hung his head a bit and gave a sheepish smile. "Well, then I'll help right now!" He went to the box Itachi had brought in, wrapped his arms around the base, and tried to lift it up. The raven haired boy lifted it about two inches off the ground and tried to walk with it before he tripped from having to shuffle under the weight and fell on top of the box.

Sasuke frowned as Itachi chuckled and picked him up only to put him back down on the hardwood floor. "Why don't you go get something a bit lighter, nii-chan. This one's too heavy for you."

"No it's not, nii-san!" Sasuke went after the box again, but this time tried to push it across the floor. Itachi shook his at this and picked up the box before his younger brother could say anything and carried it off. "Go help mom unpack the photo albums, okay? I'll teach you that game later. I promise." He walked down the hall and into the den without another word. Sasuke huffed again, but went in search of his mother anyway. He found her sitting in the middle of their new living room looking through old photo albums.

"Mom, you need any help?" Sasuke walked up to her and sat down next to her. She turned to him and smiled. "Sure, why not. Here, start putting these on those shelves over there." She placed a few albums in his arms and pulled out a few more to look at.

The boy stood up and carried the books to a large book shelf his father had already placed against the far wall of the room and started placing the albums upright on the bottom shelf. "We have a lot of photo albums, don't we?" His mother chuckled and looked up at him.

"Well, we have a lot of memories that we wanted to capture, Sasuke."

"Isn't it just a waste of space?" He sat in next to the smiling woman again and stared down at the album currently in her lap.

"I don't think so. I like to look back at all the moments we've had the chance to experience." She smiled down at him and turned the page. Sasuke looked over the different photos slowly. Each one was similar in its own way. Several of them were of him as an infant being held by different members of his family. Mostly Itachi. The only one that was really in stark contrast to its siblings was a photo of Sasuke a couple months after he had been born – at least that's what the caption written by his mother had said – and another boy about his age with bright yellow hair sprouting from his head and three lines on each side of his. Sasuke's brow crumpled in confusion and he pointed to the photo.

"Who's that, mom?"

"Hm?" She looked down to where her son was pointing and a sad smile tugged at her lips. "Ah, that is the son of one of my closest friends. She and her husband passed right after he was born… He stayed with us for a few days before Iruka Umino took him into his care."

"What's his name?" Sasuke looked up to his mother curiously. She smiled down at him and ran her fingers through his hair gently. "Naru-"

"Mikoto! Could you come help me bring the rest of the silver ware and plates into the kitchen please?" Mikoto looked up towards the kitchen then back at her son. "I have to go help your father. I'll tell you later, alright?" She smiled, handed over the album to Sasuke and stood up. "Go ahead and put that one on the shelf would you?" Mikoto walked out of the room and into the kitchen.

He watched her disappear into the other room then looked back down at the picture again. Then he closed the album and moved over to the book shelf where he placed the book next to the others carefully. He stood up and walked back to the other albums when Itachi stepped into the living room.

"Wow. Mom and Dad sure keep a lot of photos, don't they?" Itachi shook his head and stood next to his little brother. Sasuke grinned and looked up at his brother. "Yeah, that's what I said." Itachi chuckled and turned to Sasuke. "So you ready for me to teach you that game now?" He smiled a bit and chuckled again as his brother's face lit up with excitement. Itachi crouched down next to the raven haired boy.

"Hn. Alright. So, the game's called Ninja…"

* * *

The classroom was full of constant chatter and shrieks of excitement as the nine to ten year old students all gathered around each other before the bell rang at Konoha Elementary.

"Hey, guys, guess what I got yesterday!" A blonde boy yelled at two other boys; one with swirl designs on his pudgy cheeks and the other with two upside down triangular markings on his face below his eyes.

The one with triangular markings, Kiba, spoke first. "What? An idiot test?" The other boy, Chouji, laughed and continued to munch on some goldfish crackers he brought from home. "Like he needs a test to prove he's stupid." They both snickered at their joke towards the other boy.

Naruto's face turned a bright red and he clenched his fists. "I'm no idiot, dattebayo!" He pulled his fist back and was about to hit Chouji square in the nose when the bell rang and Iruka walked up behind him. "Naruto…" He took in a breath and pinched the bridge of his nose before letting go of the air he'd been holding in. "**DID YOU FORGET WHAT I SAID YESTERDAY?" **The blonde turned around quickly and put his hands up in front of him in defense.

"N-no, Iruka-sensei! I was just…just…uh… ah, hell! I'm not an idiot!" Naruto yelled back at his teacher and guardian. Iruka shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose again.

"Go to your seat, Naruto. I'll talk to you during recess."

"Aw, what! Iruka-sensei that's so unfair!"

"Go to your seat, Naruto!" Iruka repeated in a louder voice. "Chouji, Kiba. You too. Go to your seats." Chouji and Kiba nodded and went to their desks by Shikamaru, Ino, Shino, Hinata, and Sakura. Naruto scowled and trudged over to his desk by the back of the class and slumped in his seat with his arms crossed.

Iruka sighed and walked up to the front of his class. "Good morning everyone." He picked up a few papers off his desk as the rest of his students replied in different tones ranging from excitement to drowsiness. "Good morning, Iruka-sensei."

"Now, this morning we're going to continue our work on our multiplication tables. Everyone get out a pencil and a piece of paper. I want you to-" The classroom door opened and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the principal of Konoha Elementary, walked in and nodded towards Iruka. "Good morning, Iruka."

"Ah! Good morning, sir!" The slightly surprised teacher gave a small bow of his head. "Is there something you need, sir?" Sarutobi crossed to the front of the class and gave a small smile to the students. "Good morning, class. You have a new student joining you today." Excited murmurs filled the air and Iruka looked at Sarutobi in surprise. "Er, we do?"

Sarutobi nodded and motioned towards the door. "Class, I want you all to meet you're new classmate, Sasuke Uchiha." A woman in her early thirties walked into the room with a raven haired boy at her side. He looked up at everyone with a calculating stare then glared at the ground. "I expect you all to give him a very warm welcome. Come along, Mikoto. You can finish the paperwork back at the front office." Sarutobi left the room followed by Mrs. Uchiha after she gently ruffled her son's hair.

After they left, the whole class stared at Sasuke curiously while he continued to glare at the floor.

Iruka smiled and patted Sasuke on the back. "Well, welcome to my classroom Sasuke! Let's go ahead and get you settled in, shall we? Is there anywhere you'd like to sit?"

Sasuke shook his head and kept his eyes on the floor. Ino was about to raise her hand and say that he could sit next to her, but someone else beat her to it.

"He can sit back here with me, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto jumped out of his seat and had his arm stretched towards the ceiling. He was grinning from ear to ear when Sasuke looked up from the floor to stare at him. Iruka scratched at his cheek and looked down at his new student. "How 'bout it, Sasuke? You want to sit next to Naruto?" Sasuke kept staring at Naruto while he vaguely thought he looked familiar.

"No." He said loud enough for everyone to hear. Naruto's expression crumpled on itself.

"Huh? Why not!" Naruto asked loudly.

The raven haired boy just shrugged and said, "I may catch stupid."

Naruto's face burned bright red and he sputtered in response as the class erupted in laughter. Sasuke smirked as he took his bag with him to an empty seat in the back of the classroom on the opposite side of Naruto.

Iruka ran his hand over the top of his head sighed heavily. "Sasuke, that won't be tolerated in here alright? Now, apologize to Naruto or you'll stay in class during recess."

Sasuke stayed silent but then finally turned to the blonde and apologized. "I'm sorry…that you're a loser, dobe."

"Sasuke!" Iruka slammed his papers on his desk in irritation while Naruto jumped up from his seat.

"Hey! Who're you calling 'dobe', stupid teme!"

"Naruto! Watch your mouth!"

"You, loser."

"Why, you-!"

Iruka slammed his hands on his desk again. "Sasuke! Naruto! Both of you stay after the bell rings! I will not stand for this behavior in my classroom!"

"But Iruka-sensei!"

"No 'buts', Naruto!"  
"Fine!"

Sasuke just shrugged and crossed his arms. No skin off his nose. He hated recess anyway. Everyone his age were always too dumb to get the games Itachi and his friends showed him.

"Now. Back to the lesson. So, if one times one equals one, two times one equals two, and three times three equals three, what does four times four equal?"

* * *

The bell signaling the end of class rang and Iruka dismissed all but the two fighting students to recess. Everyone jumped up and ran out of the classroom and towards the playground. Including Naruto who tried to sneak out quietly.

"Naruto. We both know that won't work." Iruka spoke without looking up. Naruto hung his head and slowly made his way to his guardian's desk while muttering to himself.

"Sasuke, come up here please." The raven haired boy stood up from his desk with his hands in his pockets and walked up to the front of the room.

"Okay, you two, listen up. I won't deal with you two throwing insults at each other in my classroom or anywhere else. You guys are classmates now. You may even become friends at some point."

"Pfft! Like I'd ever be friends with _him_!" The blonde crossed his arms and looked the other way. Sasuke scowled and was about to make an insulting comeback before Iruka cut him off.

"Let's not forget, Naruto, you _were_ the one who invited him to sit next to you."  
Naruto frowned and glared at the ground. "Whatever…"

Iruka sighed and looked back at them both. "As I was saying, you two may become friends at some point, so I don't want either of you insulting each other. Understood?"

Both boys glared at the carpet, but gave a quiet 'yes'.

"Good. Now apologize to each other."

Naruto glanced up at Sasuke then turned to face him. Sasuke turned to him as well but stood still with a blank stare.

"Well? Go on, then." Iruka put his hands on his hips and looked down at the two boys expectedly.

The blonde was the first to say anything of the two. He stuck out his hand with his fore and middle finger extended and mumbled an apology quickly. Sasuke stared down confusedly at the other boy's hand, but nonetheless extended his hand and did the same formation with his fingers as the blonde and hooked them together with said blonde.

"Sorry…"

"There now! That wasn't so hard was it? Go on and join the others outside then!"

Naruto dropped Sasuke's hand instantly and ran out of the room and down the hall. The raven haired boy stared after the hyperactive kid for a little bit but then followed quietly.

* * *

Naruto ran outside and looked around for his friends until he heard Sasuke call him from behind.

"Hey, dobe." The blonde scowled and whipped around with a glare aimed at the other boy.

"Quit callin' me that, teme!"

Sasuke shrugged and pointed at Naruto's face. "What are those things on your face? They look like whiskers. Are you part cat or something?"

Naruto sputtered again and tried to cover his face a bit with his arm. "N-no! I've had them since I was a born! Iruka t-told me they're scars! And at least I don't have hair that looks like a duck's butt!" He clenched his fists and glared at the raven haired boy who actually blushed a bit.

"It does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does _not_!"

"Does. _Too_!"

Sasuke clenched his fists also and started to run at Naruto. The blonde ran forward as well and collided with Sasuke in a flash of orange and black. They wrestled and swung at each other until Sasuke pinned Naruto down and held his fist right in front of his face.

"Does…Not…" Sasuke breathed heavily from exertion and slowly pulled his fist away in confusion as Naruto started to laugh. The raven haired boy glared down at the blonde in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"Ha, ha! Your face! Ha, ha, ha! You look like you're constipated, dattebayo!" Naruto continued to laugh and Sasuke frowned as he stood up. "Whatever. You're an idiot, dobe."

Naruto stopped laughing and frowned also while he began to stand up. "And you're a jerk, teme." He grinned and walked up to the raven haired boy. "But, I like you. You're fun to mess with!" His grin broadened as he tapped his fingers on the other's shoulder then pulled away like he'd been shocked. "Tag you're it!" The blonde spun on his heel and took off across the playground like a bat out of hell.

Sasuke shook his head and muttered, "You're _so_ weird," before giving chase to idiotic kid with a small smile in place.

* * *

**Alright, pleeeease, tell me what you think. I feel like the ending wasn't as strong as it should be, and please note that this **_**is **_**before Sasuke loses his family so he's not all doom and gloom yet. YET. Anyway, leave a review if you wish! So, tell me if you'd wish for me to continue this little story and I shall. Notice also that this will continue on up to high school. Not year by year in detail, but it will progress up until they're seventeen. They're all ten in this chapter. Until next time!**

**Arrive Alive,**

**Table for Two**


End file.
